Rail-joint chair.



PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

H. H. CRAWFORD.

RAIL JOINT CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1905.

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I I I III " win/5rd;

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys ll 1D STATES PATENT ()FFTC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 10, 1906.

Application filed July 18,1905. Serial No. 270,260.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEZEKIAH H. CRAW- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county oi El Paso and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint Chair, of which the following is a specification.

lhis invention relates to railroad-rail joints, and especially to those joints comprising a chair.

It is well known that it is highly desirable to produce a rail-joint which will not become loosened by the continual passage of trains and other causes.

It is an object of this invention to provide an integral-joint chair and means for clamping the chair upon the joint and without the use of any form of fastening which may or can become loosened by use. The integrality of this chair is a matter of very considerable importance, as it has not been found possible to secure separate chair members together so rigidly and securely as to prevent their becoming loosened by use and which will be overcome by making the chair integral and doing away with all joints.

A further object of the invention is to provide an integral-joint chair with an integral brace on one or both sides struck up from the material and disposed obliquely to the verti cal of the rail.

A further object of the invention is to produce a rail-joint chair having vertical standing side plates engaging opposite sides of the rail for its entire height and to engage the under side of the shoulder, also to punch the material from the outside to form inwardly-disposed integral lugs engaging in openings in the rail from opposite sides.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lever for clamping the chair upon the rail and when so clamped to extend across and engage the opposite rail to prevent the spreading of the rails.

lVith these and other objects in view the present invention. consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereina'fter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the improved rail-joint chair in end elevation in operative position on a rail, shown in trans verse section and with the lever extending across and tying to the opposite rail, also Shown in transverse section. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the outer side of the improved rail-joint chair in operative position. Fig. 3 is a View of the rail-joint chair in elevation, showing the inner side andwith the clampinglever in transverse section. Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the chair with the clamping-lever disengaged. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of one form of the improved chair, wherein each side is braced and no lever is used for clamping. Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation oi the form of chair used without a lever and similar to the one shown in Fig. 5 and also showing the manner of spreading to insert the rail. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a form of joint-chair wherein the brace for one or both sides is stampec up without breaking or cutting the material. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a form of joint-chair wherein the braces are stamped up and extend to the shoulder of the rail and support the corners, thereby preventing breaking, which is so common.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The rail-joint chair forming the subjectmatter of this application. comprises a baseplate 1, with the material folded longitudinally at 2 and again upwardly at 3 to form integral upstanding side plates 4 and 5, so proportioned that the upper longitudinal edges 6 and 7 bear under and engage the shoulders 8 and 9 of the rail. It will be seen that the rail is thus embraced by an integral chair, and to strengthen the side plate transverse slits are formed and the material therebetween struck up ,iorming the brace 10, runnling from the base to near the top of the side ate. p The inner side of the chair may be cut to form the ear 11, turned down substantially in plane with the base 1 and provided with an opening 12. The side plates are also punched at desired positions, as at 13, to form inwardly-disposed integral lugs 14, engaging within the usual openings formed near the ends of rails.

To clamp the chair securely upon the rail, a lever 15 is provided, bent and proportioned at 16 to pass through and be pivoted in the opening 12 and with an upwardly and outwardly curved end 17, proportioned to forcibly engage and clamp the side plate 5. When the lever 15 has been placed in clamping position, the outer end 18 is hooked or bent about the outer base-flange 19 of the opposite rail securely, preventing the movement of the lever and tying the two rails together.

For use in positions when the trafiic is light and the strain on the joint consequently little the lever may be dispensed with and the brace formed upon each side of the chair, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 To set the chair, a wedge or end of a crowbar may be inserted at the top between the side plates,

' port the corners against the not infrequent breaking. The form shown in Fig. 8 also has the advantage of equal supporting strength from lighter, and consequently cheaper, material.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. An integral-rail-joint chair and a lever external of the chair to clamp the chair upon the rail.

2. An integralrail-joint chair and a lever pivoted externally of the chair to clamp the chair upon the rail.

3. A rail-joint chair and a lever pivoted upon the chair to clamp the chair upon the rail.

4. A rail-joint chair and a lever pivoted upon and-externally of the chair to clamp the chair upon the rail..

5. An integralrail-joint chair having one side made rigid by a brace and means external of the chair engaging the opposite side to l clamp the chair upon the rail.

6. A rail-joint chair having one side made rigid by a brace and a lever external of the chair engaging the opposite side to clamp the chair upon the rail.

7. A rail-joint chair having one side made rigid by a brace and a lever pivoted upon and external of the chair and engaging the side opposite to the brace to clamp the chair upon the rail.

8. An integral-rail-j oint chair having transverse slits formed from the base to the side plate and the material between the slits struck up and forming a brace extending obliquely from the base to the side plate.

9. An integral-joint chair having a longitudinal opening conforming in crosssection to a cross-section of the rail and having an integral brace struck from the material of the chair and extending obliquely from the base to the side plate.

10. In a rail-joint chair, a side plate having a portion of the material struck inwardly forming an inwardly-extending lug engaging an opening in the rail.

11. An integral-rail-j oint chair having a portion of the material of each side plate struck inwardly forming integral inwardlyextending lugs engaging an opening in the rail from opposite sides.

12. In a rail-joint chair a lever arranged to clamp the chair upon the rail and to extend across and engage the opposite rail.

13. In a rail-joint chair a pivoted lever arranged to clamp the chair upon the rail and to 1extend across and engage the opposite rai 14. In a rail-joint chair a lever pivoted upon the chair and arranged to clamp the chair upon the rail and to extend across and engage the opposite rail.

15. In a rail-joint chair a lever pivoted upon and externally of the chair and arranged to clamp the chair upon the rail and to extend across and engage the opposite rail.

16. A rail-joint having one rigid side plate and a lever pivoted upon the chair arranged to clamp the other side plate upon the rail and to extend across and engage the opposite rail.

, 17. A rail-joint chair having one rigid side plate and a lever pivoted to the base of the chair and arranged to clamp the opposite side plate upon the rail.

18. A rail-joint chair having one rigid side plate and a lever pivoted to the base of the chair and arranged to clamp the opposite side plate upon the rail.

19. A rail-joint chair having one rigid side plate, an ear outstanding from the base of the chair and a lever pivoted in the ear and arranged to clamp a side plate opposite the rigid side and to extend across and engage the opposite rail.

20. A rail-joint chair having a longitudinal opening proportioned to fit the rail and with one of the sides rigid, an ear outstanding from the base and a lever pivoted in the ear and arranged to clamp the side opposite the rigid side and extending across and engaging the opposite rail.

21. A rail-joint chair having a longitudinal opening proportioned to fit the rail, a portion of the material struck up to form an integral brace upon one side, an integral ear outstanding from the base, a lever pivoted in the ear and arranged to engage and clamp the chair upon the side opposite the brace and extending across and engaging the opposite rail.

22. A rail-joint chair having a longitudinal opening proportioned to fit the rail, a portion of the material struck inwardly forming inwardlyextending integral lugs engaging within openings of the rail, means for holding one side of the chair rigid, an ear outstanding from the base, and a lever pivoted in the ear and arranged to engage and clamp the chair upon. the side opposite the rigid side.

23. An integral-rail-joint chair having a longitudinal opening proportioned to it the rail, a portion of the inaterial struck up to form an integral brace upon one side extending from the base to the side, a portion of each side struck inwardly forming inwardly extending integral lugs engaging openings in the rail and from opposite sides, an integral ear outstanding from the base on the side opposite the base, and a lever pivoted in the ear and arranged to engage and clamp the chair on the side opposite the brace and extending across and tying the opposite rail.

24. A rail-joint chair comprising a base, side plates one of which is rigid With the base, an ear outstanding from the base, a lever having a curved short end extending upward and pivotally through the ear and formed to engage and clamp the side of the chair opposite the rigid side and a long end extending across and tying the opposite rail.

25. A rail-joint chair comprising a base, side plates one of which is rigid with the base, an ear out from the material of the chair and outstanding from the side opposite the rigid side, portions of the material struck inwardly forming inward1y extendii'ig ii'itegral lugs, and a lever having its short end bent and passed upwardly through. the ear and engag ing and clamping the side of the chair opposite the rigid side and extending across and tying the opposite rail.

In testimony that I claim. the :toregoing as my own I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IIEZEKIAH H. CRAWFORD.

Witnesses:

FRANK Drrrnnnnnrna, WILLIAM VALENTINE. 

